By Maria Matthews, Director of Generosity and Donor Relations, The Generosity Trust

Check out our latest podcast on Chattanooga's Giving Tuesday initiative. A recent count indicates almost $265,000 raised this week and that number is climbing as participating organizations continue to report how much they raised. Stay up to date on the count here.

About CHAGives

When his nine-year-old daughter Sally, and her best friend, Leslie Doherty, gave their summer earnings to Children’s Hospital because they wanted to “just help our community,” it was the result of Jonathan Frost’s passing along an invaluable message.

“Giving back to the community is something that our family has long valued. My parents taught me to give back. Now my wife Lindsey and I are teaching our daughters that earning and giving go hand-in-hand,” says Frost, managing partner at J.D. Frost & Company.

That philosophy has become an integral part of his company’s culture. During a visit to the CPA firm, employees told story after story of how their families modeled generosity. Assurance partner Brittany Carman and executive assistant Julie Barringer are part of the company’s community involvement team. They coordinate company-sponsored quarterly service projects. This fall’s project is fulfilling a wish list for Chattanooga’s Ronald McDonald House.

So when J.D. Frost & Company staff learned about #CHAgives, Chattanooga’s city-wide #GivingTuesday Campaign, they eagerly committed to match $1,000 or more of contributions made by their employees on #GivingTuesday Nov. 27.

And that’s not all. The company challenged other area employers to do the same.

The philanthropic community’s answer to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday, is a global day dedicated to giving back. On Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018, charities, families, businesses, community centers and students around the world come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

Last year, #CHAgives raised nearly $500,000 for Chattanooga’s nonprofit community in 24 hours and ranked as the 15th most generous city in the country. This year our goal is to top $750,000. Teaming up to make this possible are Causeway, United Way of Chattanooga, the Community Foundation of Chattanooga, The Generosity Trust and the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to the employer challenge, area restaurants give portions of proceeds to a nonprofit of their choice.